Draidon the DM
by Lythany Rain
Summary: Hermione is discontent with her day to day, hum drum doings at Hogwarts. But when she unknowingly engages in a game with a strange new character, everything in her life gets a bit more complicated. Disclaimer: Draidon is mine. Rated M for future chapter.
1. Chapter 1

_There are some games that should never be taken for granted. Like playing chicken on a state highway with your father's new car. Like seeing who could drink the most shampoo without hurling. Like trying to sneak into Filch's office when he's on his lunch break, (which Fred and George always found extremely entertaining). These are the kind of games that are dangerous and most people already know the consequences. So why is it that the clever Hermione, who usually knew when there was trouble brewing, suddenly found herself playing a game with new rules and penalties that boggle the mind?_

_Chapter 1:_

Hermione Granger was stressed. Very stressed. This wasn't exactly a new thing but that didn't make it any less irritating. Nor did it help that ever since she had become the Head Girl; her duties throughout the weeks had tripled. Her sixth year was hard enough, what with homework from almost every class and Harry and Ron _helpless_ without her when it came to their potion assignments, faithfully doled out by Professor Snape. But what really stretched her to her limits, was that five hours ago, Professor Dumbledore had pulled her from taking notes in Arithmacy, and proceeded to inform her that she would have the privilege of helping the Head boy, (Blaise Zabini) with organizing this years' Halloween Ball. Oh joy...

It was times like these that sometimes drove Hermione to drinking too much Fire Whiskey. Luckily, Ginny was always there to hold her hair back when it was necessary.

She was meeting that very person in the Gryfindor common room in about five minutes. Right after she stopped by the kitchens to grab some goodies. She had long since given up on trying to get the house elves to accept pay because she had learned that the house elves were even more stubborn than herself. Hermione still brought Dobby a new pair of socks when she could manage it but she knew the other elves would never take them if she offered.

She wondered what she would get today. Last week they'd gifted her with brownies that switched between dark and white chocolate, depending on how long it took you to eat them. (They were half a foot in length and very rich.) She tickled the pear on the painting that hung over the entrance to the kitchens, producing giggles which caused the door to swing open. Hermione salivated when the smell of baking Creme cakes wafted towards her. 'Well, that's one problem solved.'

"Hermione! You came to visit Dobby!" Hermione braced herself as the big-eyed house elf jumped into her arms. "You brought Dobby some lovely socks?"

"Hello, Dobby. I've actually come for some creme cakes if that isn't a problem. But I'll try to bring you some red and yellow socks next time. What do you think of that? You'll be wearing Gryfindor colors!"

"Hermione is too kind to Dobby. We have lots of Creme cakes for you, my lady!" Dobby lowered his excited voice so the other house elves wouldn't hear. "And I bought you a secret stash of Fire Whiskey when I visited Hogsmead. It's just for you. My way of thanking you for all of these beautiful socks." Dobby pointed a foot at her which was three times it's normal size due to the fact that Dobby was obviously wearing every pair of socks Hermione had ever given him. No doubt he was still wearing the grimy old sock Harry had given him during third year.

"Thank you, Dobby! That was very thoughtful of you. I really must be going now, so could I have the food now? Is that all ri..." Hermione didn't have to continue, for Dobby had already jumped from her arms and returned with a covered package containing the Fire Whiskey. Two other elves presented her with a basket full of Crème cakes and also two more of Choco's Changing Brownies as a treat. The other house elves were aware of Hermione and Ginny's weekly get together's so they were always prepared.

"Farewell, Hermione. Come and visit soon." Dobby said as he and the other house elves bowed her out.

"Ginny's going to hex me for being late." If there was one thing Hermione knew about Ginny, it was not to keep her waiting on sweets. Hermione ran up the stairs and barely jumped off the end into the next hallway when it decided that it was time to change. She really hated the stairs when they got restless. Grumbling to herself that nothing ever went smoothly, she wasn't looking where she was going and ran headlong into a solid object.

The drinks and the food went flying and using reflexes she had honed since she started attending D.A. meetings, whipped out her wand even as she landed on her butt with a 'thump'. "_Impendimenta!"_

Hermione picked herself up and plucked the food basket and drinks from the air where they had frozen in place and set them safely on the floor. Than she turned to see what it was that she had smashed into. "Oh Merlin, tell me this _isn't_ happening." Hermione let out her breath in frustration when she stared at the now frozen Slytherin Prefect. "Damnit! Why did it have to be _you_ of all people!"

Malfoy of course didn't answer but remained in the peculiar position he had frozen in. Hermione snickered when she noticed the way he was stuck, bending backwards in a near fall, his mouth opened in surprise. Hermione stopped smiling when she noticed the horribly bright purple lipstick stain on the collar of his robes that Pansy Parkinson was know for wearing. 'How could he stand that pug-nosed female?'

Hermione finally realized where she was and what she was supposed to be doing and quickly grabbed up her snacks before Malfoy reanimated himself. Ginny was going to give her hairy feet if she didn't get to the Head common room real quick.

As she ran off, Malfoy suddenly started to move again and landed on his back. "OWW! What the hell!" He looked all around for what he had collided into. He remembered bushy brown hair flying into his face before he was knocked off his feet. That could really only mean one thing. 'So where's Granger?' " Damn Mudblood should watch where she's going." He grumbled as he picked himself up and continued towards the Prefects common room. 'It was too bad those looks had to have landed on such an annoying half-breed.'

After wheezing out the password, "willow tree" Hermione entered the Head common room to find Ginny sitting in a squishy chair beside the fire twisting her hair into braids. Oh boy. It was always a sure sign that Ginny was ticked when she started to mess with her hair. "Ginny, I'm so sorry I was late, but you would not believe the things that have been happening to me. I brought Creme cakes. And Fire Whiskey, so don't be too dire in your punishment ok?"

Ginny threw an agitated look her way but couldn't hold it for long. She burst out laughing. "Oh Hermione, you should see your face! You look like I'm going to eat you or something! Just give me the cakes and I'll forgive you... this time." Still grinning she took the basket from Hermione and hugged her friend. "So. What's been happening to make you so stressed?"

"I never said I was stressed. Who said I was stressed?" Hermione flopped into a body-sized pillow in the middle of the floor and sighed from getting off her aching feet. "Do I look stressed?"

Ginny talked around a mouthful of pastry. Something she had inherited from Ron. "You look like you just found out you have to trade places with Atlas in holding the world when you still have Arithmacy homework."

"Ginny, sometimes your analogies weird me out. But yeah, I am a little tired. I have just been given the grand duty of providing this school with a Halloween Ball. And I almost humiliated myself when I bumped into Malfoy on the way up here. Luckily I froze him before he could see who it was but still, I don't like close calls. Hey leave some of those cakes for me!" Hermione snatched a pastry out of Ginny's hand before she could take a bite out of that one too.

"Wow. You have to plan the Ball all by yourself? That's an awful lot for just one person, isn't it? " Ginny chose to ignore the remark about Malfoy. She would never like the Git.

"I'm not doing it by myself. Blaise Zabini is going to help me plan. At least that's what Professor Dumbledore told me. I'm not entirely sure how this is all going to work out but at least I know Blaise will be there and he always has interesting ideas for social functions." Feeling herself beginning to relax Hermione broke out the Fire Whiskey. She took a swig before she asked, "So are you ready to play?"

"I have been waiting for you to ask!" Ginny jumped up and ran to the far wall where she and Hermione stashed things in the hidden chamber behind the portrait of a wrinkly old wizard, who snoozed in his frame more often than not. She tapped him on the forehead twice to wake him up than smacked a kiss on his cheek. The wizard blushed red than swung open to reveal a small red vile containing some form of liquid. Ginny grabbed the vile and pushed the portrait closed again with a snap that made the wizard grumble but she didn't notice. She ran back to Hermione and sat on the floor in front of her.

"What is that?" Hermione peered at the vile with curiosity. "I haven't seen a potion like that before."

"You wouldn't have. Fred gave it to me when they came to visit two weeks ago. They found it when they were looking through the boxes the previous owners of their joke shop had left behind. They said they weren't exactly sure what it did but that it was found in a box full of old wizard games. And look! Read the writing on the outside of the vile."

Hermione took the vile from Ginny and was surprised at how hot it felt. The words that were written in small loopy lettering twisted around and down the vile. They read:

**Playing the game is all great fun.**

**But where are you left when the game is a pun**

**Drink from this vile**

**Play a while**

**Play the games of Draidon**

"Play the games of Draidon? What's Draidon? What are we supposed to do?" Hermione pulled out the stopper and sniffed the liquid inside. There was no smell.

"Well isn't it obvious? You drink the potion and... and.. Well we'll just have to see what happens. You aren't scared are you, Hermione?" Ginny pinned her with a gleaming stare.

"It's not a matter of fear. We don't know what's in this potion. It could be dangerous."

"Oh please. Don't give me that. It was found in a joke shop for Merlin's sake! What harm could it really do? Come on. Just take a sip and I'll drink after you and we'll see what happens ok?"

Hermione knew there had to be some better excuses for why they shouldn't do this but her brain was already a little befuddled from the Fire Whiskey she had consumed. 'What the hell. If worst comes to worst they could always go see Madam Pomfrey and get their stomachs cleaned out with some purging soup she had made herself that was guaranteed to have you heaving whatever was in your stomach into the toilet real quick.' "Well... I guess we have to since it's the unwritten rule that we should try to have as much fun as possible on our nights together. Bottoms up."

Hermione tipped the vile toward her mouth and almost spit the potion out when the freezing cold liquid ran down her throat. It didn't have a taste, but it left her lips feeling tingly. Ginny took the vile after she saw that Hermione hadn't keeled over on the spot and took her turn sipping the potion. She didn't shiver like Hermione did.

"It tastes like... nectar. It's pretty good."

"I didn't taste anything. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. So what do you think will happen now?" She stood up and put the vile back in its cubbyhole and sat beside Hermione again.

"I don't know. Maybe we should just wait a minute. Give it time to effect our systems or something." So they waited. And waited...

Five minutes passed before Ginny jumped to her feet. "This is so boring. That potion was probably just nectar in a bottle that Fred was playing a practical joke with. Let's just play Truth or Dare like we usually do and not waste the rest of our night."

"Ok with me." Hermione didn't say anything about the effect the potion had had on her. 'It was probably just my imagination.' But she could still feel the slight tingle in her lips. "Ok. Truth or Dare, Gin?"

"You know I always like a good dare." She grabbed a bottle of Fire Whiskey and almost choked when she took too enthusiastic of a drink.

"Alright... I got it! If you don't do this dare you have to... tell Snape you have a crush on him."

"What? Never! What's the dare?"

"I dare you to go up to Blaise Zabini and... run your hands through his hair!"

Ginny moaned. "Aw man! Why did you have to dare me to do _that_? I don't even know where he is right now."

Hermione grinned devilishly. "He's walking down our hall right now on his nightly watch duty. He's very prompt and is always down this hallway at this hour. So let's see it, Gin. Or will Snape be hearing your vow of affection tomorrow?"

"Oh, go eat beetle eyes! I'll do it just don't rush me." Ginny stomped to the common room portal and flung it open to peer outside. Sure enough, Blaise was just rounding the corner stepping softly so he wouldn't wake anyone up if they were light sleepers. "Oh Merlin, why me?" Ginny whispered than almost snarled when Hermione gave her a little shove out the door. "I'm going, just hold on." Ginny ran her hands through her hair and tried to act cool, like she wasn't about to make a fool of herself, and calmly walked towards Blaise.

Blaise noticed her coming towards him and nodded in acknowledgment, but when she stepped into his path he simply raised an eyebrow at her in curiosity. Ginny tried for a smile and nervously ran a hand through her hair again. "Hi. How's the patrol going?"

"Well, nothing has happened that's out of the ordinary except you, Gin."

Ginny blushed but was determined to see the dare through. "You look kinda tired. Have you been up late for too many nights? Even your hair looks exhausted." Saying so she started to step forward and reached up to run her hands through his luxurious hair but it didn't go quite as smoothly as she had first planned.

Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the laugh when she saw Ginny stumble on a slick'em patch that someone had left there to trip up unsuspecting passer-byers. Blaise was already a good foot taller than Ginny so she never had a chance of reaching his hair when she fell forward and directly into him. Though Blaise usually had good reflexes, he hadn't expected her to fall on him so they both went tumbling backward onto the floor.

"Oh, Merlin! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to squish you." Ginny couldn't remember ever being so embarrassed in her life. This dare was so not worth this kind of torture.

"You're not that heavy, Gin. It wasn't your fault anyway." Blaise didn't move,

just laid there with Ginny half on top of him and stared at her. It unnerved her a little but now that she was there she might as well get it over with.

"This definitely didn't help your hair." Ginny finally managed to slip her fingers through his hair and then, realizing that she was still lying on top of him in the hallway, jumped up. "I... I have to go. I'm sorry again for, uh, squishing you.. But I have to.." Ginny walked away quickly and pushed a nearly hysterically laughing Hermione back into the Head common room.

Blaise watched her escape and didn't bother to move from the floor just yet. 'I told her she didn't weigh that much.' Blaise sighed than picked himself up, brushing himself off. 'Gin was certainly interesting.' His scalp still tingled from her fingers. Blaise continued on his patrol.

10 minutes later:

"Oh my Gosh! I cannot believe that happened!" Ginny threw a pillow at Hermione who was still laughing/crying on the couch. "It's not _funny!"_

"Yes.. Yes it was!" Hermione finally gained enough control of herself to keep it down to only a small giggle. "Oh, Ginny, that was priceless! You totally mauled Blaise Zabini! I only dared you to mess his hair a little but hey, whatever floats your boat."

"Ha ha ha... I am so not playing this game anymore tonight. That was too much for one night." Ginny gathered up her things and snatched a few creme cakes before turning to leave the room. Only before she could open the common room door, it swung open to emit none other than the Head boy.

Blaise merely raised an eyebrow at the sight of Ginny and moved into the room to sit in one of the chairs by the fire. He nodded at Hermione than continued to watch Ginny.

Ginny blushed and hurriedly said goodnight to Hermione before she escaped through the door and away from his gaze.

"I don't suppose you had anything to do with what happened out there?"

Hermione jumped and looked guiltily at Blaise. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm going to bed, I'll talk to you tomorrow and we can start discussing the Halloween Ball. Goodnight." Hermione scurried away to her room almost as quickly as Ginny had left, and left Blaise sitting alone. It was then that he allowed for a small grin to grace his face. 'Maybe he would talk to the red head tomorrow as well.'

Hermione was dreaming. She was standing in a black room. Hermione pulled out her wand and mouthed the word "_Lumos_". She didn't hear the word come from her mouth but it worked regardless, as a bright light ignited from the tip of her wand. There were words zooming around. Hundreds of words in bright silver lettering that looked just like the words that were written on the vile Ginny and her had sipped from. Hermione squinted at the flashing letters and made out a few of them. There were words that said 'Hold', and she saw one that said 'Kiss', and 'Dare.' Hermione thought she saw one that said 'Draidon.'

'What's happening?' She mouthed, but still no sound came out of her mouth. But yet again, that didn't seem to matter because she heard an answer.

"_I've waited a long time for you. Are you ready to play?"_ The voice filled her mind from all directions. It was such a dark voice. A voice that should belonged to a Centaur or some other powerful creature. It made her shiver like when she had first sipped the potion from the vile. She even began to feel that same tingle in her lips.

'Who are you?' She thought, since words didn't seem necessary in this place.

"_It doesn't matter at this point... Are you ready to play? Are you?"_

'Play?' Hermione tried to think of what the voice could mean. 'I don't know what I'm playing.'

"_Oh but you do. The moment you sipped from that vile, you knew what you were doing. Are you ready to play Hermione?"_

The way her name was spoken. It was like her name had a magic of it's own.

"_Play with me. The fun starts tomorrow, dearest one. We will have so much fun, you and I."_

'But who are you? What starts tomorrow?' Hermione spun around trying to see through the darkness. Past the shimmering words that flew around her.

"_Don't be scared. My rules are always fair... Hermione."_

Her wand suddenly flew from her hand and everything went dark. Her body shivered of it's own accord and her lips tingled.

_You'll be so much fun..._ Hermione felt a blazing hot mouth close over hers and before she could react it was gone. A light suddenly pierced the darkness and Hermione flung her arm in front of her in protection from the glare.

Hermione sat up in bed and blinked against the sunlight streaming through her window. "What a dream." But her lips were still burning. She touched her fingers to them before she remembered herself and jumped out of bed. "Hmph. I don't need to be wasting my time in bed when there is so much to do today."

That's when she spotted the vile. It was sitting on her bedside table, gleaming in the sunlight. One of the words on the vile was glowing silver.

**Draidon**

Hermione shuddered. 'That vile was put away. What is it doing here?' She picked it up and tried to ignore the heat that emanated from it. It was the same heat that had come from the kiss... No! She wouldn't think about that right now! She had things to do. She went downstairs and kissed the old wizard's cheek putting the vile back where it belonged. 'Now. It was time to start the day.'

As it turned out, the obligation she had towards the Halloween Ball took precedence over her homework obligations. At least that's what most of her professors said. As long as she did the work she had during class, the professors avoided giving her homework so that she had an easier time of planning the Ball. All the professors accept, of course, Professor Snape. She really hadn't expected otherwise but it did grate on her nerves that Snape could be so... well, Snape.

Harry and Ron didn't seem to need her help anymore, which actually worried her more than anything but she wasn't going to argue with them about whether they were actually doing their own work or not. It was just less stress. Blaise and her got together early that morning with Professor Flitwick to discuss some options for decorating the Halloween Ball. Naturally Blaise had a few interesting ideas.

"I was thinking that maybe the floating pumpkins would be too traditional. We need to do something... more. I had an idea that might suit our purposes." Blaise leaned back and closed his eyes to get a clearer picture. "I checked the charts, and the moon is going to be full the night of the Ball. There aren't any weather changes due for months so the sky will be clear."

"Are you suggesting we have the Ball outside the castle?" Professor Flitwick squeaked. "I also checked the charts, and though it will be a clear night it will also be a cold one. The children would freeze!"

"I don't think that's what he was going for." Hermione looked at Blaise and tried to imagine his vision. "I think he intended that we harness the moonlight indoors. The ceiling in the ballroom would reflect the moons' glow and if we could capture that light somehow, and make it a little brighter, it would give the whole room a more mysterious feel. It could be perfect for the mood we want to set." She nodded at Blaise. "Am I right?"

"Quite." Blaise looked pleased with her insight.

"Well, that's a wonderful idea! Much better than freezing off our nether places when... oh dear! Do forgive me children, I shouldn't have spoken so." The professor's squeaky voice was almost unintelligible.

"It's all right, Professor. No harm done. I think I'll go do some research to see if there's an easy way to harness moonlight. Good day Professor." Hermione stood up to leave.

"I'll go along." Blaise stood up as well. "Good bye, Professor."

"Good bye, Ms. Granger. Mr. Zabini. Hope you have success on your research."

Hermione and Blaise left together and followed the quickest path to the Library. "That was really a very good idea you had Blaise. I love the picture I get when I think of the ballroom flooded with moonlight."

"You were quick with the uptake. I hadn't yet thought of harnessing the moonlight for better effect. That was all your doing." Blaise looked sideways at Hermione as they walked. "Have you spoken with your friend recently?"

Hermione glanced up. "Hmm? Did you say something?" She had been preoccupied with thoughts of her dream. Her lips were beginning to tingle again and she couldn't figure out why.

"I asked if you had spoken with your friend. Ginny Weasley?" He stopped and looked fully at her. His face was serious but there was something else behind his eyes. Was it humor? Or, just curiosity?

"Actually, no. I haven't seen her since last night." A flash of Ginny tumbling on top of Blaise brought a quick grin to Hermione's face before she could control herself. "We, uh. Planned on seeing each other later."

Blaise's eyes narrowed on her face. "I knew you were a part of what happened." When Hermione blushed he nodded at the conferment. "What exactly did you two say to each other that brought on that scene?"

"I, well... we were just sort of playing a game... uh."

"A game?" He held up a hand when she opened her mouth. "No, no. Don't bother explaining. Let me take a guess. Was it by any chance, a dare?"

When Hermione looked down sheepishly, Blaise smiled. But his face was serious again when she looked back up. "It didn't work out like you had planned did it?"

"Not exactly... but it was pretty funny if you had seen it."

Blaise accepted that as a challenge. He was usually an extremely tolerant, easygoing guy but he did not like to be made sport of. This meant a little payback was in order. "You really shouldn't have used me for a game. But in truth I admired the way Ginny played it through. She didn't back out like most people would. Do you play the game so honestly as well?"

Hermione didn't like the way his words were making her body feel. The more and more he spoke about games and playing, the more her body shivered. Her lips felt ice cold. "I play Truth or Dare the same as anyone else. If the Dare or truth are too much for me to handle, than I follow the consequence."

"Than just to make this even... I dare you to topple Draco Malfoy onto the ground

and put your hands through _his_ hair." Blaise found extreme amusement in the way she paled and stuttered.

"But... but wait! The dare for Ginny wasn't to topple you. It was just to muss your hair a little. The falling was an accident!"

"Never the less. It happened and Ginny had to go through it. So you do too. Or are you scared?"

Hermione figured she could just take the easiest path, or she could just... wait him out. "I'm not scared. I... I just want to know what the consequence would be."

"_I can answer that."_

Hermione 's whole body felt charged with energy. 'It can't be.'

"_Oh, but it can, my dearest. I was wondering when you would be ready to play." _

Hermione looked at Blaise to see if he was hearing the voice, too. But he wasn't moving! Hermione looked around wildly. Everything was at a standstill. Blaise didn't even blink and down the hall she spotted another student passing through who was stopped mid-step, his foot still hovering above the ground. She turned around to look the other way but her eyes landed on something very close. She was staring at someone's chest!

She stumbled backward and almost collided with the still motionless Blaise. Her first impression was that of a boy maybe two, three years older than her, wearing black boots and deep purple pants that skimmed his hips. He was wearing a light, flowy white shirt that was pinned at his wrists but hung loose everywhere else, leaving the top of his chest exposed. He had a black open vest on and she vaguely registered the jawbone length auburn hair that blew wild with it's own wind source. He was wearing a black headband with silver, loopy letters on it but she didn't get a chance to read them because she was suddenly caught.

His eyes were so intense it made her a little frightened. No normal person or even a not so normal wizard could have eyes that color. They seemed to swirl, changing from violet to pitch-black, than violet again. Those eyes were focused entirely on her... and he was grinning. He walked, or did he float? Towards her even as she backed away. "_Are you ready for the rules, Hermione?"_

"Wha... what rules? Why won't you tell me who you are? What do you want from me?" Hermione turned around ready to run but he was there. Standing in her path before she could take a step.

"_Think hard, dearest one. You already know my name. Can't you remember the many times I've told it to you?"_

'What is he... does he mean in those words I saw?' She closed her eyes trying to remember. 'Play', 'Rules'...'Draidon.'... _Draidon!'_

"_That's it. I knew you could do it. You very clever. I want you to play with me, Hermione. Let me tell you the rules and we can play." _

He stepped toward her again and this time she didn't back away. He seemed to be everywhere at once so what was the point?

"_You already know what the first rule is. The second rule is that you cannot back out. No matter how much you want to. The third rule is really just your consequence. So let's see what we can do about that, shall we?" _Draidon suddenly floated into the air and started to circle her. He crossed his arms and put his hand on his chin. He continued to circle her around and around until she became quite dizzy.

"Would you please stop moving?" She muttered. "I don't like feeling sick. And I don't have time to play this game. I have things I have to do! I have a Ball to plan!"

Draidon came to a complete stop, still hovering over her. Suddenly he whipped in front of her until they were almost nose to nose. He whispered to her. _"You have no other choice, dearest one. You're playing my game now. And I've been waiting a long time for you to come along." _He suddenly grinned like a fool. It threw her a little because the grin looked so out of place. Like he didn't do it often. _"I have the perfect consequence, Hermione, mine. If you don't tumble and ruffle Draco Malfoy, you will have to give up something precious to you." _He leaned in closer until their noses really were touching.

"Wh... What do you mean? What would I have to give up?" Hermione hardly breathed. He was so close his eyes each looked like a looking glass.

" _Oh, only your innocence. Don't look at me with those big brown eyes like that. I don't mean to rape you, so don't misunderstand." _He suddenly flipped over backwards and hovered a few feet from her._ "But your innocence on the other hand, I have a great desire for. If you don't follow the rules of the game, you loose. Now doesn't that sound like fun?"_

"I never said I wanted to play this game. What if I refuse?" She didn't know why she was fighting him. She didn't know what he was capable of. It was just a stupid dare after all... what was the big deal?

"_The moment you sipped from that vile, you were a part of my game. You willingly swallowed that potion and willingly became my playmate."_

"But Ginny, she drank some of the potion too. Why am I the only one who is a part of this game?"

"_You drank first. You are the one I have been waiting for and there is no going back now. So now that you know all the rules, precious one, we can begin the game." _

Suddenly his hands were on either side of her face. He touched his mouth to her chilled lips and she felt them heat with surprising speed. Her eyes closed and her body trembled with the power of it. When she opened her eyes again, Draidon was gone and Blaise was looking at her expectantly.

"Alright," She heard herself say. "I accept the dare."


	2. Play

_Chapter 2:_

Ok. Now what was she supposed to do? How in the name of Merlin was she going to find a way to topple Malfoy _and_ brush her fingers through his hair when there was never a time when he was alone? She was surprised she had caught him alone when she had frozen him in the hallway. It was surely a rare moment since from then on she couldn't seem to catch him without hoards of Slytherins around him or even just Crabbe and Goyle. She didn't want to finish the dare with witnesses. That was just going too far. Ginny had had her as a witness but that didn't count.

Hermione didn't have time to worry about that right then. Blaise and her were working out the music for the Ball and it seemed that every student and Hogwarts had a different preference. And they all wanted to be heard. It was becoming a troll-sized headache. "I like the idea of violins. It would make the entire event more leery." Hermione was sitting at a table in the Library, scanning the list of music that she had formed from the students. "Maybe we end the evening with self-playing violins after the first half of the Ball. That way the students would have two different feels to the music."

"I like the idea, but what will we play for the first half? I don't think the Ghostly Quartet would do. I don't think what they play can be considered music." Blaise was looking through an article of the latest and greatest musicians of that century. "We need something a little mellower that you can still dance to."

"I know we do." Hermione looked around the Library hoping maybe for a little inspiration. She spotted the golden egg that Harry had donated to the Library from the fourth year tournament. Wait a minute! "Do you think we could have Mermaid music? The song that came out of that egg was beautiful. What if we could dance to the sound of singing Mermaids?"

"But the Mermaids voice can only be heard clearly when under water."

"Yes, but we could find a way to get past that, couldn't we?" Hermione got up and returned with a book titled _Keeping of Sea Creatures_. "There has to be a way. I'll pull out my own hair if there isn't."

"Don't you think you should worry more about Draco Malfoy's hair, rather than your own?" Blaise arched an eyebrow at her.

Hermione blushed. "I don't know how you expect me to do that when Malfoy is never alone. How am I supposed to get at him?" 'Damnit! Why does he have to remind me?'

Draidon's voice suddenly filled her head. _"Don't even think about bowing out now."_

"I _know._ I wasn't planning on it." She muttered.

"You weren't planning on what?"

Hermione looked up in surprise. "Didn't you hear him?"

"Hear who?" Blaise looked around the Library, which was empty except Neville, who was reading a book on Herbology. "Neville?"

"No. I mean... Oh never mind. Forget it." Hermione picked up her things and turned to leave. "I'll keep researching on how to harness the moonlight. You try and find a lupol to the voices of a Mermaid."

"Don't forget about our dare."

"Don't worry about that... He won't let me forget anyway." This she said under her breath as she left the Library.

She bumped into Ginny on the way to the cafeteria for lunch. They barely had a chance to say hello to Harry and Ron before the two boys hurried from the lunchroom explaining that they were meeting someone for lunch and they would see Hermione later.

"Hmph. Men." Ginny sat across from Hermione, chowing down on her Shepard's pie. "They are not worth the time we give them."

"They have their uses. How has your day been going?" Hermione swirled pumpkin juice around in her mouth.

"Oh, just dandy. Not only did I almost flunk a pop potion quiz Snape threw in our class, but every time I see Blaise, he stares at me until I turn red. I still can't look him directly in the eye. I'm really going to have to get you back for that." Ginny faked flicking a fork full of pie at Hermione.

"I don't think you need to. Blaise has already put your revenge on me into motion."

"What are you talking about?"

"Blaise Zabini dared me to knock Malfoy to the ground and to run my hands through his hair. Is that enough revenge for you or do you need more?"

"You're actually going to do it? When? I get to watch. You do realize that, don't you?"

Hermione groaned. "I was afraid of that. Don't get your hopes up. Getting a chance to do something like that isn't as easy as it seems to sound."

It actually turned out to be easier than she expected, for Malfoy just happened to leave the cafeteria at the same time Hermione did. Crabbe and Goyle were still grubbing on sweets, so they weren't at their usual places by his side. 'Crap! I didn't expect this to happen so soon!'

Hermione tried to remain inconspicuous; tried to avoid him realizing that she was following him, but apparently she wasn't very good at it because Malfoy stopped walking and sneered at her. "Turning into a stalker, Granger? I didn't know you had decided to join my fan club." He laughed when she flushed with annoyance.

"Don't flatter yourself ferret. What makes you think I would follow someone like you around? You're not worth my time!" But she couldn't look him in the eye when she spoke. "I'm just headed to the... uh..." She looked around quickly to see where they had gone. Damn her for not paying attention! "I was going to see Professor McGonagall about our next assignment. Not that it's any of your business."

"I'm not surprised. It's easier to keep your nose in your studies rather than face the fact that no one would ever give you the time of day." Malfoy didn't know why he'd said that. It was completely off the subject. But why did Granger have to look so good in the morning?

Coming from Malfoy, this wasn't so unusual. It hadn't really bothered her. Not coming from him. Why should his words stir something inside her that made her want to hex him with blubber foot? It's not like she cared if he thought she looked good or not.

So why then, did she suddenly launch herself at him, tackling him to the ground? What had come over her? Why were these words coming out of her mouth? "At least I don't have to worry about snot-nosed brats like _you_ coming after me! Someone like you who can't even pick his own clothes without checking with his _father_ for his permission!" 'Oh Merlin! What had she just said?

"_Ha ha ha! Oh this is so much fun! You must _hate_ him! That's it! Hurt him. Teach him a lesson he'll never forget!"_

'Draidon?' Hermione suddenly stilled. She stopped trying to pull Malfoy's hair out of his scalp and stared at his face. This wasn't her. She didn't do things like this!

"Damnit! Get off of me you filthy Mud-blood! Get off!" Malfoy tried to push her off him but his legs were bent under him and she was sitting on his thighs so he couldn't move. 'It's really too bad I despise her so much... but if all else fails.' "If you wanted me to bone you so badly all you had to do was say so."

She jumped off him faster than if he had caught fire. "I... I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to. Oh just leave me alone!" Hermione didn't know if she was speaking to Malfoy or Draidon at this point. All she knew was that she needed to get away from here. She ran up the closest stairwell. Escape was more on her mind than where she was going.

Draco brushed himself off and started in the direction of his common room, but stopped short when he noticed something shiny on the ground where Granger had shoved him. When he picked it up he saw that it was a small red vile with silver lettering shining all around it. One of the words was glowing. It said:

**Play**

"It figures that Granger would drop something. Stupid klutz can't even keep track of things." 'There is no way that I am going to search her out just to give this back to her. Maybe I'll let her sweat about where she misplaced it.' That was a bad thought. The picture of the book-worm covered in a sheen of sweat... bare skin flushed... It was enough to drive anyone insane. "Stupid woman." He mumbled as he again made his way to his rooms. He chose to ignore the way the vile seemed to grow warmer the more he thought about her.

Some things were better left alone...

"Draidon! Just what the hell do you think you're doing to me!" Hermione threw a pillow across the room but it wasn't nearly enough to satisfy her. She took a serious look at a vase but shook her head. "Why did you have to do something like that? I would have found a way to finish the dare myself. You didn't have to interfere."

Draidon hadn't answered her yells. But then again, she hadn't really expected him to. She didn't figure him for the type to come when beckoned. She sighed. 'How am I going to be able to look at Malfoy the same way after this? I've humiliated myself.'

Hermione was so deep in her musings that she didn't notice when the portal entrance to the Head common room swung open, or when Blaise Zabini entered through it. He didn't remark when she threw another pillow out the open window. Nor did he comment when she kicked one of the heavy chairs near the fireplace and swore after stubbing her toe. He did however, clear his throat when she started to undo her button-up shirt to cool off a bit because she didn't think anyone else was there.

Hermione shrieked and pulled her wand on him before he could react. "Oh Blaise don't _scare_ me like that! I didn't know anyone was here, or what to think!"

"I figured that. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what? What are you talking about?" Hermione turned away so she could button her shirt back up properly. I don't know what there is to talk about. Do you mean the Halloween Ball? Have you gathered any research on how to make the voices of Mermaids bearable?"

"I have actually, but that's not what I mean as you are well aware." Blaise motioned for her to sit down but instead Hermione began to pace before the fire. She tried to ignore Blaise's steady gaze. Blaise didn't need to ask her why she was so stressed. "I saw it all."

"Well if you've found a way for us to have Mermaid music at the Ball I think we should start... You saw all of what? What do you mean?" Hermione stopped pacing and looked at Blaise with dread. 'He couldn't possibly have seen...'

"I was coming around the corner from the Library when I overheard you and Draco Malfoy talking. Then I watched you push him. I must say, I never expected you to be quite so forward when going about the dare. I'm really very impressed."

"I didn't mean to do that! I never would have done that if he hadn't... if he hadn't made me! That's not me!... I." Hermione sighed realizing that Blaise was misunderstanding what she meant. He didn't know about Draidon. How could he? "It never should have happened that way."

"I'm a little confused. But I won't pry into your business anymore. You fulfilled your part of the bet, with a little extra so I don't have anymore reason to seek revenge." Blaise offered her a Canary Cream he had bought. "Peace? Turning into a big yellow bird might cheer you up."

Hermione almost smiled. This was all ridiculous. "No thanks. I think I'd rather not molt right now. I have more pressing matters to attend to. I'd like to forget what just happened. So do you want to tell me what you've found on Mermaid voices, or would you rather keep me in the dark?"

"You're going to love me after this one. Not only have I found a way to pull off a miracle when it comes to the music, but I've also found the perfect way to harness moonlight. You see all we have to do is talk to Professor Flitwick about...

1 week later...

'He should just give it to Blaise so he could return it to her for him. There was no reason why he should still have this stupid red vile. There was no reason he should stare at the glowing word 'Play' when he was laying in bed at night... thinking of her.'

Malfoy twirled the vile between his fingers, watching the candlelight from his bedside lamp bounce off the glass. The warmth emanating from the vile caused his palms to sweat. There was no way he was going to let a muggle-born chit like Granger ruin his sleep. She was just another girl for crying out loud! 'But maybe that's the problem,' he thought. 'Maybe it's just been too long since I've gotten any.'

Malfoy tossed the vile high into the air, than caught it again. That was it. All he needed to do was visit Pansy and he wouldn't have to worry about thinking of Granger every other minute. 'Not that I've been thinking of her that often.' Malfoy kept reminding himself of that as he quietly made his way towards the Slytherin girls' sleeping rooms. He didn't notice that he had tucked the vile into his pocket.


	3. Your Move

_Chapter 3:_

To say that Ginny was pissed, was an understatement. Hermione tried everything she could think of, but nothing seemed to be enough to make Ginny forgive her. "I can't believe you did the dare without me there to witness it! You got to watch me make a fool of myself! Hermione, how could you?"

"I keep trying to tell you; I didn't plan on doing what I did. It just sort of worked out that way. I'm sorry you couldn't watch me topple Malfoy but I didn't expect to do it when I did." Hermione didn't want to explain that there were circumstances that had led to the incidence. She hoped Ginny would forget about it eventually.

Ever since that day, nothing unusual had happened. Unless you count the incident in Professor McGonagall's room which had led to Seamus being led to the hospital wing to see if Madam Pomfrey could remove the horns from his head. Apparently he had been unsuccessful in turning a Billy goat into a seat-cover. But Hermione considered things like that to be pretty normal.

She had been able to help Blaise design some of the decorations for the Ball, and hadn't even spoken to Malfoy since that day. Draidon hadn't bothered her either, which probably meant that the game was over. She had played along and done the dare so why should he stick around? Things were starting to return to their normal place. Except Ginny...

Ginny had been acting strangely for the last couple of days. Hermione would catch her daydreaming in class when they had a little spare time. (Or even when they didn't have any.) She would jump up and leave the Cafeteria suddenly, explaining that she had forgotten something in her dorm room or that she had to use the bathroom. When Hermione asked about her strange behavior, she would merely laugh it off and come up with one excuse or another. Hermione couldn't figure out what it was. Was Ginny seeing someone in secret?

When she tried to ask Ron about it, he just scowled at her. "I don't know what's going on in Ginny's head anymore than you do. She doesn't talk to me anymore. She's probably just going through some stupid girly stuff." Hermione and Ron got into a quick argument about what exactly he meant by that, but Harry broke them up as usual. Hermione gave up and forgot about it. If Ginny wanted her to know, she would tell her.

With the Ball only a little ways away, Hermione had better things to handle. So she didn't expect it when someone wearing black and green robes suddenly stopped her halfway up the stair steps. Though the shiny Prefects badge tipped her off. Malfoy put his arm in her path when she tried to walk around him. "What's your rush, Granger?"

"Move out of my way, Malfoy. I don't have time to fight with you right now."

"Now who said anything about fighting? I never said I wanted to pick a fight with you, did I?" Malfoy should have been sneering at her, but he was merely watching her face, gauging her expressions.

"I don't care whether you want to fight or not. I have better things to do than waist my time speaking with you." Hermione used her best authoritive voice. Why wouldn't he just move?

"High an mighty Granger doesn't have the time to talk to a Slytherin? Is that it, Granger? You had the time to knock one down but you can't spare a few words?" Malfoy walked down a few steps but Hermione stubbornly held her ground.

"I'm sorry for that. It was uncalled for. But you have no right to speak to me the way you did. So by all rights you should be apologizing to me." 'Yeah,' she thought. 'When Nifflers fly.'

"You know... you're absolutely right, Granger. I should apologize."

'Wait, what?' Hermione stared at him in shock. He couldn't actually be serious.

Malfoy moved closer to her. "I should apologize for neglecting what you so obviously are desperate for." He grinned malevolently at her. "When you knocked me down I was caught by surprise, so I couldn't accommodate you the way I should have."

"You can't be serious. I never said I wanted you to..."

"You didn't have to. I can tell. You don't have to deny it. I told you before; if you wanted something from me all you had to do was say so."

Hermione remembered that he had worded it a little differently than that but she couldn't get over the shock of what he was implying. Did he want to... do something to her? It was impossible! Malfoy hated her! He thought she was a no good Mud-blood, so why was he saying these things?

Malfoy couldn't believe he was saying these things. He had thought that going to Pansy would make everything better. But when he had gotten there, he couldn't get the image of Granger hovering over him, her face flushed from the exertion of pushing him over, out of his head. So instead he had left the sniveling Pansy alone and had decided to take a walk. When he had seen Granger walking up the steps, he had acted before he had stopped to think. 'But what the hell? The vile he still carried said 'Play' didn't it? So why not have a little fun?' "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it, Granger. You haven't thought about what I might do? Could do? Why don't we conduct a little test, shall we? You can see if kissing a pureblooded Slytherin is really that bad... And I can see if snogging with a bookworm is more exciting than some other plain girl." Malfoy leaned in.

"I... I don't want..." Hermione stumbled backwards, almost falling down the steps. Malfoy nimbly caught her with reflexes born from many Quiditch practices and pulled her close to his chest. Suddenly the staircase they were standing on began to move, having become restless. "Malfoy, let me go."

"Come on Granger..." Malfoy felt compelled by a hidden force. "I know you're curious. I dare you."

"Oh no, don't say that!" But it was too late. Hermione once again found herself in the middle of time drawn to a stand still. "You can't be serious!"

"_You got it! The game is about to begin again! Did you really think I would let the game end so easily?" _

Hermione pulled out of the arms of the once again frozen Malfoy and turned to

find Draidon sitting with his legs crossed, hovering in the air next to the stairwell. Hermione looked over the edge of the stairs and shuddered. It was a long way down and the stairs were stuck halfway between where they had started and the other hallway. She wasn't afraid of heights so much as the prospect of falling.

Draidon was grinning at her. His eyes were a violent shade of purple, which expressed his excitement. _"It looks like you have yourself quite a pickle here, don't you my precious? What ever are you to do? Give up your first real kiss to the one Slytherin you can't stand? Or give up your innocence to me? Quite a pickle... I love it!"_

"Why won't you just leave me alone? I don't want to play this game anymore! There isn't anything fun about this game except for you!" Hermione tried to look for a way off the stairs but there wasn't any way except the long drop. 'I don't feel quite that desperate...' She looked at the frozen Malfoy who still had a look of suppressed passion in his eyes. 'Then again, maybe I am.'

"_I won't allow it. But you're welcome to try. I've always loved to play catch."_

Hermione looked up startled that he had guessed her thoughts. 'But he didn't have to guess, he can read my mind can't he?' She developed a mental picture of Draidon getting hit out of the air with a bludger and smirked.

"_Ha! Now that's the spirit! You need to enjoy yourself, Hermione. You know the rules for this next part of the game. Now it's your turn to make a move." _Draidon slowly floated towards her until he could lightly grasp her by the shoulders. He moved her back into Malfoy's arms and then brushed her hair out of her eyes. _"It will be fun to watch what you do next, Hermione mine."_ With that said, he pressed a hot kiss to her lips and evaporated out of view.

Suddenly, everything started to move again. the stairs continued to change and Malfoy moved in closer to Hermione just like they had never been interrupted. Of course, for him they never had. "What do you say, Granger? Will you take the challenge?"

Hermione heard herself speak again, like she had before. But this time she had enough self-awareness that she changed the words a bit. "Yes, I'll accept your dare Malfoy... But not now."

"Why wait?" Malfoy's eyes were burning into hers but she pulled away from him and climbed the steps to the next hallway. "No better time like the present."

"Somehow, I doubt that." Hermione motioned towards some straggling students making their way to their rooms. "I don't like you Malfoy. Don't take me for granted. And don't underestimate me. Goodnight." With that, Hermione left Malfoy speechless on the steps.

'Did what I think just happened, just happen? Did Granger actually agree to have a snogging session?' Malfoy returned to his room where he laid in his bed fiddling with the red vile he hadn't returned to Granger. It was glowing like a ruby from the extreme heat it was giving off. 'Damnit Granger! Why won't you get out of my head?'

Hermione undressed and stepped into the shower. The steaming hot water did little to ease the tension she was harboring. 'I have to kiss Malfoy... On the mouth... Merlin!' She turned the right faucet and perfumed water rained down on her filling her with the choice scent of lavender and vanilla. 'If this is so bad... then why is my stomach full of butterflies?'

Hermione ran her fingers through her wet hair. It was a lot longer than she used to wear it. It was even longer when wet. She watched the water role off her skin, which was pale but smooth and only had a few freckles here and there. Did she want Malfoy to want her? Did she really want Malfoy? 'My first real kiss... I wonder what it'll be like.'

After she finished with her shower, Hermione cast a drying spell on her body and combed her hair out. She had decided to let it air dry tonight so it was still wet and hung to her lower back. She put on a pair of emerald green, silk pajama bottoms and a white tank. She never dressed this way with other people around. She was too self-conscious about herself, even though Ginny had told her repeatedly that she had a nice figure. Not to mention she would never admit to a Gryfindor that her favorite color had always been green.

She looked at the clock that said it was just past midnight. Most of the teachers would be in bed at this time. So who would know? Hermione pulled on a light sweater jacket and tiptoed bare-footed out of the dorm. She just wanted to take a small walk to clear her head. No harm in that. She made her way through the school without running into anyone, except she had a close call with Professor Dumbledore. She barely had time to hide behind the statue of the old one-eyed witch before he came whispering around the corner humming softly to himself.

When she peered over the witch's hump she could have sworn she heard him say softly, "Don't stay out too late." Before he disappeared around another corner. Sometimes, she suspected he knew everything that went on in the school.

She finally made it outside and ran a little ways to get out of sight of the tower windows. She reached the lake and almost sighed with pleasure when she saw that the giant squid was moon bathing. 'I think we had the same idea.' Hermione lay back on the cool grass and stared up at the stars. It was a shame that the school dorms didn't have ceilings that reflected the sky like the ballroom ceiling did.

"Do you always sneak out like this?"

Hermione gasped and tilted her head back to see the person behind her. She almost gave in to the urge to jump up and dive into the lake when she saw the upside down vision of Draco Malfoy standing above her. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. So? Do you always sneak out like this?" Malfoy sat down beside her but didn't look at her. He was wearing all black, in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. His hair looked disheveled and oddly attractive.

Hermione sat up and clutched her jacket around her. "I needed to think. I wanted some time by myself." If he understood the hint, he didn't take it. She sighed. 'I might as well be civil.'

"I used to come out here all the time." Malfoy looked at her now, his gaze sweeping down her still damp hair to her bare toes and back up to her face. "I guess you stole my idea."

"I didn't steal it! I decided to come here on my own and you..." Hermione sighed again. 'Civil, Hermione. Civil.' "I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused right now."

Malfoy accepted her quiet admonition. "I don't think I'm all that confusing. I like to think that I'm an easy person to understand. Most of the time. What's confusing you, Granger?"

She didn't know why but the way he said Granger didn't sound as insulting as before. She must be imagining things. "I don't think you'd understand. Or care."

"Well you're right about the second part." Malfoy didn't let it show that he regretted saying that. 'I don't care what she thinks... do I?'

Hermione didn't stiffen up like usual. 'This is Malfoy after all. Nothing's changed... even though everything's changing.' "Why are you here, Malfoy?"

Malfoy looked at her sitting there barefooted, with her damp clothing and impossibly long, wavy hair. He looked at her soft brown eyes that he had begun to notice often-carried dark shadows beneath them... He brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes before he could think about it. He spoke truthfully. "I couldn't get you out of my head." Malfoy suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back into the grass. "I don't know why you're always on my mind. You're a loud know-it-all who always has her head in a book. You're not even pureblooded and you can do magic better than most witches here and you annoy the hell out of me! But I can't stop thinking about you." He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes in frustration.

"Well you're a snobby little brat, who thinks he's better than everyone else." Hermione put her hands on his shoulders but she didn't pull or push him away. "You always make others feel like they're worse than they are. You think that because you're family is powerful, you can treat other people like dirt and you irritate me every time I see you... So why is it that I'm not afraid of you right now?"

"Because we're both stupid."

She chuckled at that and couldn't help thinking that this was surely an odd situation. She was laying on the grass with Draco Malfoy almost on top of her and she was _laughing._ "And I was always told that I was clever."

"No one would understand this if they were to hear it." Because he felt like it, and because he couldn't figure out why he shouldn't, he pressed his cheek alongside hers and breathed in the smell of her hair. 'Lavender and... vanilla... fitting.'

"_I_ don't even understand this... but I do wish that you would... just." She didn't know what to say. How do you asked to be kissed? She'd never properly done it before so she didn't have a clue.

"Heh. I did mention that all you had to do was say so, didn't I?" Malfoy lifted his head and grinned down at her.

'Now that's the Malfoy I recognize.' "Well... I'm trying to say... so... could you..."

She didn't get to finish. He put his arm behind her head and lifted her up slightly. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip before he melded their lips together. She could feel his hot breath against her mouth and her hands squeezed his shoulders reflexively. She was afraid to move. The sensations were indescribable and she didn't want them to end by something she did.

He seemed to sense that she was holding back because he changed angles and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hands automatically fisted in his hair at the back of his head and she heard a breathy moan float into the air. It took her a minute to realize she was the one who had made that sound. Malfoy delved deeper into the kiss and Hermione gasped when she felt his warm tongue move past her lips and explore her mouth.

'If this is what it's always like... than I can see why everyone makes such a big deal about making-out.' Hermione was starting to get the hang of it. She mindlessly followed his every move until she was the one seeking out the recesses of his mouth. His flavor was dark and sensual. Somehow she knew it would have to be.

'Oh Merlin! She was delicious! She was giving and greedy all at the same time. He couldn't get enough of her taste. Without thought, his hands migrated down her arms to her hips. They moved up again, under her white tank until he was grasping her around the ribcage. He broke off the kiss to watch her face, and when she didn't move to pull away he closed his mouth over hers again and brushed his hand over her nipples. She moaned when his hot hands cupped her breasts and squeezed, molding them to his palms.

'Who knew? Who knew your body could feel this way? And if someone had known, why didn't they tell her?' His hands on her body felt like heaven. She didn't want him to ever stop touching her. She needed more of him touching her... more skin against skin.' "Malfoy... Draco, please. I want to touch more of you."

"Yeah... more... more of you..." Draco released her for an instant. Just long enough to pull off both their shirts. He groaned aloud when their flesh touched. He ravished her mouth now, becoming almost brutal. He still had the control to hold back though. He didn't want to hurt or frighten her. Something about her... he could never do that... not to her.

'It still isn't enough! I still don't have enough of him! Draco, more!... Why can't I get enough?' Hermione opened her eyes. They were outside... still on school grounds. And they were half-naked!

"_Don't let something so trivial as your placement ruin your fun, Hermione_._ This is what you really want, isn't it? It's a game... play the game!"_

'Oh no... Not again.. No I can't let this happen again!' Hermione suddenly tore her mouth from Draco's. "Draco stop! Stop... we can't do this!"

"What's wrong? Why do you want to stop?" He couldn't believe this. She was quitting just like that?

"I can't do this... that! We're outside... we're still on school grounds!" She moved out from under him and quickly pulled her tank and jacket back on. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to go this far... I couldn't help..."

"Stop." He pulled his shirt back on and stood up. "You don't have to say anything else. I get it." He sneered at her hopeful look. "You're a tease. I should have known someone like you would do this." He almost bit off his own tongue when he saw the blood drain from her face.

"No! That's not it! I didn't want to do that! I mean..." She stuttered when he gave her a piercing look. "I couldn't help myself. I wasn't myself." Hermione looked at him, a pleading look on her face. She wished she could make him understand. "I'm sorry."

"No more than I." With that, he turned and walked back towards the sleeping castle. He didn't look back.

"Draco..." She whispered. Hermione's knees gave out and she fell to the ground. "It wasn't supposed to be like this... I wanted it to be more." She realized that was true. She did want it to have been more. She wanted desperately to get beyond that wall of self-righteousness he had built around himself to get to the real person... "Draidon... I don't like your game." Hermione lifted her head and tears shined on her face. "I'm done! Do you hear me? I am not going to be a pawn in your game! Just leave me _alone!"_


	4. The name of the Game

_Chapter 4:_

2 weeks later:

"Well, it's tonight. Are you scared?" Ginny, Harry and Ron were all sitting in the Head common room with Hermione. Besides Ginny, it was one of those rare times when she allowed them to stay in her dorm for a long visit. She was feeling generous this week. "Actually... no. I'm proud of what Blaise and I have set up. I think tonight will be great! What are you guys going to go as?"

Naturally, the Ball was going to be a Costume Ball, so everyone had been working on his or her outfits for the big night. "I've finished pulling my outfit together, but you'll have to wait till tonight, until you can see it." Ginny had a smug look on her face as she shared a plate of fudge with Ron. "My date and I are going to match."

Ron almost choked. "You're..*cough* you've got a... *cough cough* date, have you?"

"Yes, indeedy I do. He asked me a few days ago. We had just enough time to pull our costumes together."

"You're not going to tell us who he is, are you?" Hermione gave Ginny a speculative eye.

Ginny just grinned and chose another piece of fudge. Ron didn't get anymore out of her that night. Harry couldn't have cared less. As long as Ginny didn't have an infatuation with him any longer, he was happy. Though it did bother him that she got over him quite so fast. Was he really that easy to forget?

"I still don't know what I'm going as." Harry was concentrating hard on his wand. He had been practicing free-style magic lately and was trying to get the long red ribbon that was shooting from the tip of his wand to form a sentence in mid-air. "I haven't really thought about it. Maybe I'll just go as myself. No one would really care."

"But Harry! It's the my first Ball! At least it's the first I've ever planned. You have to dress up. Why don't you just get Ron to help you?" Hermione tried to refrain from telling Harry that he was moving his wand all wrong.

"Why do I have to help him?" Ron shoved another piece of fudge in his mouth. "Ish yer Ball... wa do' you hel' em?"

"Because I've planned enough of this event. I don't need one more thing to think over. Oh Harry, you need to swish a little less or your words will keep misspelling themselves."

Harry sent her an annoyed look but lightened his swishing. When Hermione looked away, he swirled the ribbon into a rude gesture. Ron choked for the second time, except this time it was from laughter. Because Hermione was so busy slapping Ron's back to try and help, she never noticed the gesture.

"Oh drat!" Hermione slapped a hand to her forehead. "I can't believe I'm so stupid!"

"What's wrong?" Ginny started to stand up. "What did you do?"

"Oh don't get it up. It's just that... with all the planning I've been doing for the Ball, I completely forgot about my own costume. How can I go to my own Ball without a costume?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something. You're really very clever, Hermione. If you sit still for a moment you'll probably come up with something great." Hermione smiled at Harry. He hadn't been very attentive since fifth year, but he still managed to say just the right thing to make her feel better.

"Well if I'm going to get everything together on time, I think I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave. I have some thinking to do."

"All right. I need to start getting ready anyway. Come on Ron, Harry, let's go."

"Seeya tonight Hermione." The three of them exited the Head common room and left Hermione alone.

"Great. Now where do I start?" She opened a book on mythical creatures hoping for some inspiration. How was she going to put together a costume when she only had a few hours left until the Ball?

"Problems?"

"Damnit, Blaise! I asked you to stop doing that!" Hermione held a hand over her heart. "You're too good at sneaking around."

"I didn't mean to scare you. I guess you didn't hear me come in. Why are you so frazzled? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing I can't handle..." 'I hope.' "I need some time to myself so I'll be in my room. I'll see you at the Ball." Hermione took the book with her up into her room and locked the door. Not because she suspected Blaise would do anything but simply out of habit from when she lived with the other Gryfindor girls. Despite what people think, those girls could be just as vicious as a Slytherin when provoked. 'I could always go as a cat... No, that's too cliché... Why is this so difficult?'

Hermione looked out her window at the lake sparkling in the sun's light. 'The lake looks less mysterious in the sunlight then in the moonlight.' Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'It can't be helped... I'm always going to be reminded of that night.' A memory of warm hands on her skin and hot lips on her mouth almost made her want to scream in frustration. She couldn't forget how cold her lips had been and how hot they had become when Malfoy had kissed her. It had amazed her at the time... how icy... 'Wait! What if I...'

Hermione jumped off her bed and ran to her wardrobe. It was almost ridiculously perfect! All she needed was a couple spells and it would be all too easy.

Draco Malfoy was yet again fiddling with the red vile Hermione had dropped. The words on the vile had stopped glowing since that night. 'It was just a stupid Ball... why should he go? Why did it matter? 'Because I am not a coward. I'm not going to let a silly muggle-born girl keep me from going where I please.'

He already knew what he was going to be wearing. The vile he was toying with had inspired him. She was going to admire him. She would want him just like all the others. 'Oh Merlin why does it matter what she thinks? I'm not dressing to please her, right?' He shoved the vile under his mattress and went to get ready.

The students at Hogwarts were gathering around the doors leading to the Ballroom. Everyone was whispering excitedly, waiting for the doors to open. No one had a clue as to what the Ballroom looked like, so they were all anxious to go in. Everyone quieted when the clock started to chime. It was time for the Ball to begin. "Oh look!" Someone cried when loopy silver letters began to form on the doors, scrolling downward like tiny snakes. Seamus read aloud since people in the back were complaining about not being able to see. "Welcome all of Hogwarts, to this year's Halloween Ball. Tonight you will step into the spirit of All Halos' Eve and experience magic like you've never felt before. Enjoy your night and remember it always." The doors slowly slid open.

"Oh wow!" Lavender looked around in wonder. "Everything is... glowing!"

The room was cast in the moon's light, which was filtering through the ceiling. The light was being reflected off of mirrors that were carefully placed around the Ballroom and blue flames were dancing around in the air like tiny faeries in flight, casting more light on the Ballroom. Actually, they _were_ faeries; Someone pointed this out with delight.

The dance floor had a spell cast on it so that it looked like see-through glass. When you looked into the floor you could see gray clouds storming beneath you. A perfect opposite of the clear calm sky above them. When you walked on it you had the sensation that you might fall through into the storm. There were black velvet drapes hanging from every window and when someone tried to move the drapes to see outside their hands passed through it like it was made of smoke.

There were ghosts floating around here and there. Some were twirling around in the midst of the faeries. But the thing that drew most peoples' attention was at the back of the room.

The wall in the back of the room had been taken out and in its place was glass. Behind the glass, water churned with pale blue and silver lights, and inside the water were two Mermaids. The Mermaids were singing, there clear ethereal voices carrying across the Ballroom.

"Greetings everyone!" Everyone turned from the spectacle to see Professor Dumbledore walk to the front of the room. "I trust you find the Ballroom decorations satisfactory?" After murmurs and shouts of agreement, Dumbledore continued. "I bet many of you are wondering, just who it was that pulled this wonderful Ball together. Well they will be appearing here shortly and I will introduce them to you when the time comes. Until then, everyone... have fun."

The students scattered around the Ballroom, some migrating to the refreshment table where there was nothing but silver platters and goblets placed on black sheets that were hovering in the air. One of the kids picked up a plate and laughed when a baked potato and turkey with gravy suddenly appeared on the plate. "This is just what I was hungry for!" He exclaimed before picking up a cup which immediately filled with Butter Beer. Everyone got the jist of things and started to pick up their own plates, which filled with whatever they wanted.

Other students cautiously moved onto the dance floor and started dancing once they proved to themselves that the floor was, in fact, solid. The rest of the people just wandered around talking and commenting on costumes, or sat at different tables to watch the others dance.

Malfoy arrived fashionably late, as usual. He wasn't towing Crabbe or Goyle along with him, because somehow, by some odd stroke of luck, they had found dates. Malfoy came to find out later that Crabbe was going with Pansy so Malfoy figured she was trying to make him jealous. She was pitifully mistaken.

Many people watched him as he entered the Ballroom. Malfoy, having been inspired by the miraculous heat coming from the vile, had dressed as the sun. His hair had a radiant golden glow. He was wearing mid-evil style clothes. His shirt was tied at the wrists and fell loose everywhere else. It was pearly white and shimmered when he moved. His open vest was golden silk, which glowed like his hair. His golden pants were tight to his legs, showing off the muscle he had acquired from playing as the Slytherin's Quiditch Seeker. He had cast a spell on his skin that had made it shine with a golden sheen. All in all, he was captivating. It was too bad he didn't care.

Malfoy looked around the room. He was impressed, he had to admit. Whoever had created the theme for this Ball had really put in their all. He sneered at Potty and Weasel who were sitting at a table in the middle of the Ballroom stuffing their faces. Potter was dressed as Dumbledore, a long white beard actually growing from his face and half moon spectacles completing the outfit. Weasley was probably supposed to be a dragon... except whenever he spoke, instead of breathing fire, smoke would poor from his ears. Typical Weasley blunder.

He kept searching for... who was he searching for? Malfoy frowned at himself. He couldn't stop himself from looking for her anymore than he could stop Weasley from having freckles. Malfoy avoided Pansy's drooling stare and moved to a corner near the Mermaid tank where he could watch the whole room. He wasn't trying to hide. That would have been pretty difficult since he was glowing like, well like the sun.

"Ahem... Attention please." Dumbledore was again standing at the front of the room, but this time he was on a stage that had appeared out of no where. "It would seem that the creators of our Halloween Ball have finally arrived. First of all, I would like you all to give a grateful round of applause for our Head boy, Mr. Blaise Zabini."

The crowd cheered as Blaise walked onto the stage. Blaise was dressed as a very dashing devil, complete with pitch-black robes and actual horns growing from his forehead. He also had a tail swishing now and then into view. He wasn't alone.

Next to him, stood Ginny Weasley, dressed as an angel. Her hair was drawn up into a bun on top of her head with ringlets falling down around her face. A shimmering halo of stars was encircling her head, casting a lovely glow down on her. She was wearing pure white robes with tiny jewels glittering at her ears and around her slim neck. Magical, but real white wings lightly ruffled behind her, the tips of them almost brushing the floor. Together they looked... perfect.

There were a few hoots and catcalls from the crowd, both for Blaise and Ginny. Ginny blushed and her wings flitted out a bit as if to fan her. Many of the girls in the crowd sighed about how pretty the wings looked. Blaise and Ginny left the stage after everyone had cheered and moved to the dance floor.

"They certainly looked fabulous, wouldn't you say?" Dumbledore continued. "Lastly, I would like you all to thank this other student for her genius and dedication to pulling this Ball together. Everyone, our Head girl, Ms. Hermione Granger." There was a stunned silence when she moved to the stage.

Hermione walked nervously to the center of the stage. Everyone was staring at her. No one spoke, it was like they were in a trance. Had she over done it?

She had remembered the iciness. The cold raw feeling her lips had had right before Malfoy had touched his mouth to hers. So she had gone as... an ice maiden. Her dress was sparkling, but not from jewels or from glitter. It was because each and every inch of it was made of snowflakes. The dress had no sleeves. It nipped in at the waist then flowed to the floor. The snowflakes were clustered just right, so that they covered all that was necessary and showed peeks of skin on her stomach and legs. She had straightened her hair. It hung down her back in one thick mane that had icicles threaded through it. Her skin was pearl white and shimmered with glitter. Her eyes... Her eyes were silver, almost white. She had enchanted her eyes so that the color and pupils were like glass. There was a frosty breeze softly flowing around her, billowing through her dress and lifting strands of her hair. She looked like a mythical being all her own.

Malfoy couldn't remember feeling this much desire at one time. Every time he caught a peek of skin through the snowflakes of her dress, saliva pooled in his mouth. 'Damnit! It isn't going to be as easy to ignore her as I first thought.'

"Thank you all for coming." Hermione spoke clearly, despite the way her nerves were trembling. "I hope you all enjoy this Halloween." She walked off the stage and joined Ginny and Blaise at the table they were now sitting at. She tried to ignore the way most of the male body stared at her. Maybe she should have just gone as a cat after all.

"Wow... Hermione you look... Wow!" Ginny stood up to hug Hermione but gasped and drew back. "You're freezing! Is that really snow!" Ginny reached out to touch a snowflake but the breeze that enveloped Hermione wouldn't allow it.

"I used an old protective spell to create the snowy effect. I don't feel the cold but the downside is that if anyone gets too close they get frosted. I should have warned you." Hermione smiled in apology but her glassy eyes made the look eerie rather than apologetic. "You look gorgeous Ginny! I hardly recognized you. You're wings are so real."

"Get this! I can actually fly if I want to! I won't while in here but this was the only way I could get wings that didn't look fake. Blaise helped me find the enchantment." Ginny blushed when Blaise put an arm around her waist.

"That's great." Hermione gave Blaise a speculative look. "You never told me you wanted to go to the Ball with Ginny."

"It was our business. I didn't even know if I would ask her until a few days after she knocked me down. In a way I guess I should thank you." Blaise bowed to her, a devilish grin fittingly gracing his face. His tail even gestured towards her like another hand.

"How do you like the Ball Ginny?" Hermione looked around the room, watching people converse and dance.

"It's beautiful! You and Blaise really did a great job. The faeries were a great touch."

"If you'll excuse us Hermione, I would like to dance with my angel." Blaise guided Ginny back onto the dance floor.

It was good to see two of her friends looking so happy together. The dark, serious Blaise Zabini and the bright, humorous Ginny Weasley were an interesting pair. Hermione thought it was perfect. She looked around again and sighed. She had done well. People looked like they were having a good time, and the decorations glimmered in the moonlight just like she had imagined. 'It would be nice to dance on the enchanted dance floor with someone other than a friend.'

She walked around, greeting those that complimented her on her Ball or her fascinating costume. She chatted with Harry and Ron; at least until they decided they were hungry again. She laughed when Hagrid, who was dressed like Fluffy his three headed guard hound, accidentally knocked Professor McGonagall over with one of his extra heads.

All in all, she wasn't bored; but she was sullen. She wasn't aware that to those who watched her, she looked like a lonely maiden. She looked lost and a little scary when she looked at someone with her glassy, empty eyes. The snow that drifted around her made her untouchable. You shivered just by looking at her. She walked towards the Mermaid tank and stared into the water. When one of the Mermaids drew closer, she lightly touched her fingers to the glass. She quickly removed them when the glass frosted over with crystals.

"It's hard for anyone to touch you when they risk the chance of getting frostbite. Is that what you intended?" Hermione turned to look at Professor Dumbledore.

"I don't know what you mean. I thought an ice maiden would suit the affair." She could tell he wasn't convinced.

"Yes, I suppose it does suit this affair rather nicely. But I don't think... it suits you." Dumbledore nodded his head at the Mermaids when they bowed to him. "Mr. Malfoy had created a stir with his costume as well."

Hermione followed Dumbledore's gaze until her sights landed on the golden image of Malfoy leaning against the wall in the opposite corner. She blew out an icy breath when she realized she was holding it. "Yes. He seems to like drawing attention to himself."

"It's interesting that you would say that, when the fact is that when Mr. Malfoy isn't watching the faerie lights... he is watching you." Dumbledore turned to Hermione and despite the cold, rested a hand on her shoulder. "Misconceptions can make or break a growing friendship. Be honest with yourself, Ms. Granger. There can be no shadow without light." Dumbledore withdrew his hand and walked away to join the rest of the staff.

'Am I the only one confused about what's going on?' Hermione looked at Malfoy again and stilled when she noticed that he was staring right back at her. When she didn't look away, he straightened from the wall and started towards her. There was nowhere to hide from him so she stayed where she was and watched him wearily.

He stopped in front of her, his gaze skimming down her, lingering on the skin on her stomach peeping through her dress than back up to her face. Unlike most of the people she had encountered he didn't look away when she looked at him with her blank eyes. "Nice party Granger."

"A compliment Malfoy? You're slipping from the slimy Slytherin ways. You might want to be careful." Hermione wasn't going to show him weakness.

"Well aren't we ungracious? What's wrong, Granger? Is the pressure getting to you?" Malfoy couldn't believe the warm, passionate woman he had held could suddenly be this cold... literally. He didn't like it.

"I'm handling whatever pressure there is just fine. Why don't you go find Pansy and dance with her? I'm sure she misses you horribly." Hermione turned but was drawn up short when Malfoy gripped her wrist.

"Is that jealousy I hear in your voice? Are you mad that I haven't asked you to dance?"

"You had better let go of me, Malfoy. Your hand is likely to freeze soon." She didn't think he had noticed the wistfulness she had felt.

"I don't think I'll have that problem. I'm the sun remember? If anything, you're the one who might get burned." He smirked when she looked down to notice that even though his hands were giving off small puffs of water vapor due to the contact, he wasn't effected by the cold frost that surrounded her. 'Oh great... He's immune.'

"Let go or you'll melt my dress!" Hermione yanked her hand away and tried to go around him. 'Why did I have to talk about removing clothes?' She did not need any more reminders.

"Come one. Dance with me. What's more perfect than the hot sun and the frozen snow dancing together?" He didn't know why he was persisting. Or maybe he did. He wanted her, and he usually got what he wanted. He didn't mind working for what he wanted either. He grabbed both her hands and gently but relentlessly pulled her through the crowd until they were in the middle of the cloudy dance floor. Unlike Hermione, he didn't seem to notice the envious and somewhat shocked glances they were both receiving. "I know you know how to dance. I've seen you do it."

"What do you mean? How could you ever have seen me dancing when I don't dance?" Hermione stubbornly tried to hold still on the dance floor but Malfoy was apparently an excellent lead.

"You didn't realize I was there at the time." Malfoy led her across the dance floor in smooth circles with one hand and let his other hand idly play with the tips of her hair. Neither of them noticed that the icicles in her hair were starting to melt. "A few months ago, Blaise invited me into the head common room to play wizards chess. You came out of your room wearing jeans and a T-shirt, dancing across the room to the bathroom. You were humming and apparently so absorbed in your thoughts that you never even saw us sitting there. I must admit, you have a natural rhythm." Malfoy took the opportunity to sway suggestively with the music, causing Hermione to blush. He was charmed by the fact that do to her icy surroundings the color spreading across her neck and cheeks was more a tint blue than red. "Charmingly natural wouldn't you say?"

"You should have told me you were there." Hermione struggled to hide her inner emotions. "Why didn't you or Blaise tell me you were there?" She didn't notice that she clung to his shoulders a bit tighter than necessary. "I thought I was alone!"

"Oh lighten up Hermione. At the time I didn't care, so your embarrassment isn't necessary." He felt her stiffen than and realized he'd just called her by her real name for the first time to her face. "What's wrong, Granger?" He sneered trying to cover up his lapse but it was already too late.

"Don't try to cover it up Malfoy. Is it such a sin to say my name?"

"I wasn't trying to cover anything up. If anybody should cover anything up it's you. What have you got on under that dress that let's you show so much skin?" He almost kicked himself for letting his embarrassment get the better of him but he did love the way her blush spread across her shoulder blades. His amusement turned to shock when suddenly the parts of the dress that used to only show hints of skin began to melt away entirely.

"Oh now you've done it!" Hermione tried to tug out of Malfoy's arms but only succeeded in moving both of them off the dance floor into a secluded corner of the room. "This spell can only withstand so much heat and you made it worse by making me all hot... I mean... oh bugger!" She blushed again and another part of the dress melted away leaving a dangerous gap between her breasts. "I have to get out of here before someone notices that I'm melting!... Malfoy? What _are_ you staring at?"

Malfoy, who had been captivated by the pearly skin being displayed jumped and looked up with a devilish smile. "I agree. We should find somewhere more private. Come with me." He than proceeded to drag her across the ballroom towards the exit.

"Mal.. Malfoy! Where are we going?" She put up resistance but realized she was kidding herself. She had to admit she was curious. Wait! No she didn't! "Malfoy, if you don't let go of me I'm going to hex you so bad your _children_ will have tentacles!" She finally managed to pull out of his grip and hurried down the hallway towards the Gryfindor Head-rooms.

Malfoy grabbed her hand again and almost drooled again when he felt warm flesh instead of icy skin. "You're jumping to conclusions. It's interesting that your mind so easily falls to the gutter. I never imagined that about clever Granger. Just come with me." He turned towards another stairwell. "What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not _afraid! _I just don't want to... to..." She broke off when he suddenly twined his fingers into the small hairs on the back of her neck where the ice there melted away beneath his burning fingers.

"Tell me the truth." Malfoy probably would have said more if time hadn't suddenly come to a stand still once again.

"_Oh, this is just delicious! A new part of the game is being set into action."_

"What? No this can't be right! He didn't say.. Ouch!" Hermione tried to move but Malfoy's grip in her hair kept her from being able to step back more than a few inches. "He didn't dare me to do anything!"

"_The name of the game is not merely _Dare_, Hermione, mine. You know this just as well as I do." _Draidon appeared behind her, his lips mere inches from her exposed neck. His confusing violet, black gaze peering at the exposed skin of her front. _"I _love_ your costume." _

"Oh! You are the most insufferable, low life!" She tried and failed once again to yank out of Malfoy's arms but his fingers were too tightly bound. "I told you to leave me alone!"

Draidon leaned in closer and tickled the hair near her ear that was beginning to curl again. "_Ah but the game has not ended my sweetling. How could you suggest just leaving it hanging like that?"_ He slipped a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head towards him as far as it would go without pulling her hair. "_Unless you've decided that you forfeit the game. Are you so eager to lose your innocence to me, Hermione, mine? How wonderful!"_

"No! I didn't say that!" 'Lose her innocence? How exactly could he accomplish that without raping her? She certainly wouldn't be willing... right?'

"_Than you play through this game of ours till the very end_..." Draidon lightly touched the ground with the tip of his toes and stood on the ground beside her for the first time. "_Sooner or later you will come to see my reasoning... and you will love me for this."_ Draidon pressed his lips to her forehead in an almost tender caress and vanished.

Hermione blinked, still wondering about the softness of Draidon's kiss compared to the previous times before the sensation of Malfoy's fingers toying at the back of her neck finally seeped through again. She looked up into his face and licked her lips before surprising both herself and Malfoy by reaching up and kissing him very lightly on the mouth. "I'm afraid of falling in love with a selfish Slytherin who will use me and leave me with no innocence and no heart." Hermione wrenched from Malfoy's arms an walked calmly towards the stairs leading to her room, leaving Malfoy staring dumbly after her. She almost started to cry. 'Will I have no secrets worth keeping from now on?'

Authors Note: (That's it for the most recent chapter. Please comment and review so that I can better write the next ones. I'm not sure myself where I'm going to take it from here.)


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